Kerala cabinet gives nod to set up COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing unit

The Kerala Cabinet has given a nod for the setting up of a COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing unit at the Life Science Park at Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram.

The cabinet meeting held here on Wednesday has appointed S Chithra, IAS, as the director of the vaccine manufacturing project.

A working group will be constituted with Dr KP Sudheer Principal Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, as Chairman.

The other members of the group will be Dr B Iqbal (State Level Expert Committee Covid Management), Dr Vijayakumar (Vaccine Specialist, Dr Reddy's Laboratory, Hyderabad), Dr Rajan Khobragade (Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare) and Rajamanikyam (Managing Director, KSIDC).

The working group has been tasked to initiate discussions with leading companies and enable the production of the vaccine as soon as possible.

The cabinet also granted permission for the initial acquisition of land required for the semi-high speed rail project from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod. It was decided to give administrative sanction for taking a loan of Rs 2,100 crore from Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for land acquisition activities from the state share.

The state cabinet also decided to make 27 temporary Judicial First Class Magistrate Courts to permanent courts. Each court will be allotted 10 posts.

( With inputs from ANI )